Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Left-handed starter Jerry Keel allowed three runs (one earned) in his first start with Double-A San Antonio and center fielder Franchy Cordero went 3-for-5 with a triple, a steal and two runs scored as the Missions continued their second-half surge with a 4-3, 10-inning win over Frisco in San Antonio.
Meanwhile, Tyson Ross allowed four runs on three hits and two walks with a strikeout in just two-thirds of an inning in his first rehab start with Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore. And in Arizona, second baseman Jemile Weeks was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI and is hitting .500 after two starts for the Rookie Padres at the start of his rehab assignment.
Keel, who was promoted from Lake Elsinore Wednesday, gave up six hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Cordero raised his batting average to .305 as the Missions improved to 32-27 in the second half and 54-75 overall in the Texas League.
Left-fielder Luis Tejada (.238) drove in the Missions' winning run with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 10th inning. Tejada finished 1-for-3 with a double and a walk.
Right-fielder Nick Schulz (.286) was 2-for-4 with a RBI and a walk. SS Nelson Ward (.228) was 2-for-4. C Rocky Gale (.214) had a double in four at-bats with two RBIs and a walk.
Right-hander Adam Cimber (2.52 ERA) followed Keel and allowed a hit in 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Right-hander Jake Smith (3.00) pitched a perfect inning. Right-hander T.J. Weir (3-4, 6.15 ERA) pitched a perfect 10th to get the win.
In system moves Thursday, right-handed reliever Louis Distacio was promoted from Single-A Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore. Right-handed reliever Evan Miller was promoted from short-season Single-A Tri-City to Fort Wayne.
AROUND THE FARM:
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (68-63) - ALBUQUERQUE 3, Chihuahuas 0: SS José Rondón (.270) was 2-for-3. Starting LHP Frank Garces (5-8, 4.53 ERA) allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. RHP Eric Yardley (3.30) allowed two hits in two-thirds scoreless innings. RHP Jose Rafael De Paula (4.32) allowed two hits with three strikeouts. The win reduced El Paso's lead over the Isotopes in the Pacific Coast League's Pacific Southern Division to 4 1/5 games with 11 games remaining in the season and three games remaining in the series. El Paso's magic number is eight.
ADVANCED SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (31-29, 63-67) - RANCHO CUCAMONGA 12, Storm 5: RF Franmil Reyes (.269) was 1-for-4 with his 15th homer and two RBIs. C A.J. Kennedy (.236) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. SS-2B Luis Urias (.325) was 2-for-4 with a run scored. 1B Josh Naylor (.260) was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. LHP José Castillo (1.42) followed Ross and allowed five unearned runs on four hits and a walk in an inning. RHP Luis Diaz (4.91) allowed two runs on two hits and a walk with seven strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. RHP Ben Paullus (5.16) allowed a run on two hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.
SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (22-38, 58-72) - GREAT LAKES 2, TinCaps 0: Starting LHP Thomas Dorminy (4-5, 3.10) allowed two runs on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in eight innings. He was the first Fort Wayne pitcher to go eight innings since the 2012 season. DH Jonatan Pena (.207) and CF Rod Boykin (.190) were each 1-for-3 for Fort Wayne's only two hits. TinCaps hitters struck out 18 times.
SHORT-SEASON SINGLE-A TRI-CITY (10-17, 29-36) - The Dust Devils were off Thursday night.
ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (11-13, 23-29) - GIANTS 12, Padres 6: 2B Eguy Rosario (.375) was 3-for-5 with a run scored. C Chris Mattison (.750) was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. CF Jack Suwinski (.247) was 2-for-4 with a walk, a RBI and a run scored. RF Tre Carter (.300) was 1-for-5 with two RBIs. RHP Henry Henry (5.28 ERA) allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. RHP Grant Zawadzki (6.26) gave up five runs on four hits and a walk without retiring a hitter. RHP Chasen Ford (8.31) allowed three runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings. RHP Jonathan Guzman (7.46) allowed a hit with two strikeouts in 1 1/3 scoreless innings. RHP Dominic DiSabatino (8.68) struck out the side in a perfect inning.
DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (36-33) - The Padres game was postponed by rain.